How UK retailers can combat the rise in e-commerce returns

September 14, 2016

UK e-commerce is the strongest in all of Europe in terms of total share on retail sales with continued growth expected: a predicted increase from 14.5 percent of global e-commerce sales in 2015 to 19.3 percent in 2019 was recently reported. This sustained growth brings with it a proportionate increase in customer returns. In 2015 average return rates for products bought on line were roughly a third, with some product areas (e.g. clothing) experiencing return rates closer to 40 percent.

There are plenty of reasons why return rates for products bought online are higher than in bricks and mortar stores: not being able to try on an items before buying it increases the chance of buyers’ remorse as the the propensity of a customer to order several sizes of the same product with the intention of keeping only the one that fits.